Process Disciples Roundtable: What do we make of Bryan Colangelo’s Twitter Scandal?

Well, this has been interesting, to say the least. A story that was released by The Ringer disclosed information that links current 76ers president of basketball operations to an investigation that found him using five different Twitter ‘burner’ accounts to criticize current Sixers players, release sensitive insider information and team management strategy.

The 76ers released this statement regarding the current situation involving Colangelo.

“An online media outlet filed a story linking multiple social media accounts to 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo. The allegations are serious and we have commenced an independent investigation into the matter.”

With information coming out that it was most likely his wife (see link for thread explanation), we are still awaiting what the aftermath will be of this whole debacle. For now, as the Process Disciples, we discuss our opinion on what this means for the Sixers current regime, players, and the future of the franchise.

With the absurdity of all this happening, the Sixers will eventually have a decision to make as far as Bryan Colangelo and his role with the team. Is there any chance he stays in the organization?

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Allan: I think the Sixers have no choice but to move on with Bryan Colangelo REGARDLESS of what the investigation eventually says. I think the damage has already been done because even if an internal investigation shows it wasn’t him, then who with information the team only knows, would say this type of stuff? There was already shots taken at both Joel Embiid and Markelle Fultz. The psyche of Markelle was already damaged and this can only leave him scratching his head even harder. Whatever happens over the next few days will ultimately decide which was this direction goes in. If they keep him around, it doesn’t rub the players the right way. Most of the players who have lived through the process know they have trust in Sam Hinkie. I think bringing him back would be the best resolution one could think of. Even though the news has come out that his wife has played a predominant part in this, I think Colangelo had knowledge of what was going on to an extent. For it not to ever be stopped, that deserves repercussion.

Calpin: This is by far one of the strangest stories that I have written about. In my mind, it is one of those spoof stories where I can’t even wrap my head around because I don’t think it is really so I don’t even want to read the reports on what is happening. But, since I know it is a very real story and one that could impact the Sixers future they need to act correctly. In no situation, whether it was Bryan or his wife or Jerry or a friend can Bryan Colangelo keep his job. Whether he knew about it or not. You can’t run the risk of upsetting the young parts of this team that are the nucleus and most important part of this entire process. Colangelo must go.

Anderson: I don’t believe so. When I first saw this story a few days ago, I was so confused on why Colangelo would even consider doing something like this. What’s really getting to me is how social media and Twitter is really affecting how it can tear down a professional organization, but its still the beginning. The Sixers should not look to keep Colangelo for the future because this is nonsense for a president of basketball operations to be impacting the team through hidden social media accounts. With upset players like Joel Embiid, why risk the young players they have on fake accounts? If you ask me, Colangelo has to go.

2. If you’re a current player for the Sixers, especially Ben Simmons Joel Embiid, or Markelle Fultz, how do you handle this situation? Is this something where you’d lose trust in the franchise as a whole, or just Bryan Colangelo individually?

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Allan: If you’re a young player with this kind of stuff going on, you can’t take any of the criticism to heart. We’ve seen other management and GM’s be critical of their own players…but this was (Potentially) your GM saying this stuff about you behind a computer screen. I think the trust has to be only lost between them and Bryan Colangelo. Upper Management beyond him has to assure they don’t lose the players mentally with this.

Calpin: The young guys are just that, young. So they might handle it a little differently than a veteran would. But I would hope that they would lose faith in Colangelo individually and only lose faith in the Sixers’ organization as a whole if they would make the wrong decision of keeping Colangelo or backing him over the young stars. But I don’t foresee that happening I think the higher-ups are smarter than that and know they have suffered far too much to run the risk of something like this upsetting these guys.

Anderson: I’d definitely have some trust issues about the organization. For the next couple of days, I would just listen to updates on the situation and hope that it wouldn’t get worse. Faith for Colangelo wouldn’t even exist anymore and if it revealed that many more Philadelphia staff or board members were up to something, I’d have a huge problem with “trusting the process”, which first comes with believing in one another.

3. According to Vegas, the Sixers have the best odds of landing LeBron James if he decides to walk away from Cleveland. How does this impact the 76ers’ ability to recruit big-name free agents?

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Allan: I think this impacts the biggest summer/offseason in recent Sixers memory ginormously. LeBron James is already a guy who had to rebuild trust with his current and past management regime in Cleveland, and for him to potentially have to do that again? Doesn’t seem very appealing if you ask me. The Sixers may spend the summer repairing internal organizational relationships before they even look out to creating more in free agency.

Calpin: Again, similar to what I said in the previous question I don’t believe it hurts their chances IF they let Colangelo go. The Sixers as a whole did nothing wrong. So if they make the right decision nothing from their expectations of the offseason or roadmaps they are planning out should change.

Anderson: This would be a big-time impact for the Sixers ability to recruit big-name free agents. Drafting great, young players like Simmons and Embiid turned out to be the right moves during the draft, but with free agents, this could start something even bigger in Philadelphia. If LeBron seriously has some interest in playing for the Sixers, it would open up more conversations and more possibilities of landing other stars as well. Nowadays, teams in the NBA like “superteams”, so if the Sixers had the chance to do so, then why not go for it?